# Plumber or gas engineer: which do I need?

> You need a Gas Safe registered engineer for any work on gas pipes or gas appliances, including fitting, servicing or repairing a gas boiler, hob or fire; by law anyone doing gas work for pay in a home must be on the Gas Safe Register. A plumber is right for water-only jobs such as leaks, taps, toilets, radiators and bathroom pipework. Many plumbers are also Gas Safe registered, so check their ID card and the register before any gas work.

Source: Kuote, Market Harborough trades (https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/guides/plumber-or-gas-engineer/). Updated 2026-11-11.

"Plumber or gas engineer, which do I need?" is a fair question, because the jobs overlap and plenty of people are both. The rule that matters is simple: **any work on gas needs a Gas Safe registered engineer**. Water-only work doesn't. This guide sorts common jobs into the right box, shows you how to do a Gas Safe Register check, and answers the question most people are really asking: can a plumber fit a boiler?

## The one rule: gas work needs Gas Safe

In Great Britain, the Health and Safety Executive's guidance is clear that anyone carrying out work on gas appliances or fittings in a home as part of their business must be on the **Gas Safe Register** and competent for that type of work. That covers installing, moving, servicing, repairing or disconnecting:

- gas boilers
- gas hobs, cookers and ovens
- gas fires
- gas pipework and meters (on your side)

Registration isn't just a badge. Each engineer is registered for specific **categories** of work, so someone qualified for boilers isn't necessarily qualified for, say, a gas fire or a commercial kitchen. A plumber who isn't Gas Safe registered should not touch your gas supply at all, including "just" capping off a pipe.

## Which do I need? A quick list

### A plumber (water only)

- Leaking pipes, joints and valves, and [burst pipes](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/guides/burst-pipe-what-to-do/)
- Dripping taps and new taps
- Toilets: leaks, running cisterns, replacement (see [toilet replacement cost](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/prices/toilet-replacement-cost-market-harborough/))
- Sinks, baths, showers (non-gas) and full [bathroom installation](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/prices/bathroom-installation-cost-market-harborough/)
- Radiators, valves and moving radiators on an existing system (see [radiator replacement cost](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/prices/radiator-replacement-cost-market-harborough/))
- [Outside taps](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/prices/outside-tap-installation-cost-market-harborough/)
- Water softeners and stopcocks
- Blocked waste pipes

### A Gas Safe registered engineer

- Installing, replacing, servicing or repairing a **gas boiler**
- Fitting or disconnecting a **gas hob or cooker**
- Gas fires
- Moving or extending **gas pipework**
- Investigating a suspected gas leak after the emergency service has made it safe
- **Landlord gas safety checks**, required every year for rented homes with gas appliances

### Grey areas

- **Central heating faults:** a pump, valve or radiator issue might be plumbing, but if the boiler itself needs opening up, that's gas work.
- **Power flushing:** a plumbing job, but often done alongside a boiler service.
- **Unvented hot water cylinders** (mains-pressure cylinders): need an installer with an unvented hot water qualification, often called G3, and the installation must be notified to building control.
- **Oil boilers:** not gas, so not Gas Safe. Oil work is covered by the **OFTEC** scheme.
- **Electric boilers and electric showers:** need an electrician for the electrical side. A new shower circuit is notifiable under Part P (see [how to check an electrician is registered](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/guides/how-to-check-an-electrician-is-registered/)).

## Can a plumber fit a boiler?

Only if they are **Gas Safe registered** for that work. Lots of plumbers are, and they often call themselves "plumbing and heating engineers". If yours isn't, they can still do the water side of a heating job (pipework, radiators, filling and venting) while a Gas Safe engineer does the gas connection and commissioning, but it's usually simpler to use one registered person for the whole job.

Replacing a gas boiler is also **notifiable** under the Building Regulations. A Gas Safe engineer notifies it for you, and you should receive a **Building Regulations Compliance Certificate**. Keep it with your boiler paperwork; you'll need it when you sell.

## How to do a Gas Safe Register check

1. **Ask for their Gas Safe ID card.** Every registered engineer carries one.
2. **Check the front:** photo, name, business, licence number, start and expiry dates, security hologram.
3. **Check the back:** the categories of gas work they're qualified for. Make sure it covers your job (for example, domestic boilers, or cookers).
4. **Check the register.** Search the licence number or business on the Gas Safe Register website, or call the free helpline on **0800 408 5500**.

If the card is out of date or doesn't cover your appliance, don't let the work go ahead.

## Checking a plumber

There's no legal registration for water-only plumbing, but there are good signs:

- **WaterSafe**, the national register of approved plumbers backed by the water industry, lists businesses that belong to approved contractors' schemes such as APHC and CIPHE. Approved plumbers can certify that work meets the Water Fittings Regulations.
- Written quotes, insurance and recent local references (see [how to find a reliable plumber](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/guides/how-to-find-a-reliable-plumber/)).

## Gas safety: what to do in an emergency

- If you **smell gas** or suspect a leak, call the National Gas Emergency Service on **0800 111 999**. Open doors and windows, don't use light switches or naked flames, and turn off the gas at the meter if it's safe to do so.
- If you have symptoms of **carbon monoxide** poisoning (headache, dizziness, nausea, especially when the appliance is on), get into fresh air, call **0800 111 999**, and seek medical help. Call **999** if anyone is seriously ill.
- Fit a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms with a gas appliance.

## What do they charge?

Checkatrade's 2026 guide gives an average plumber hourly rate of around **£50**, with emergency rates of roughly £75 to £150 an hour plus a call-out fee. Boiler work is usually priced per job. The exact price always comes from the tradesperson's written quote. See our [plumber hourly rate guide](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/prices/plumber-hourly-rate-market-harborough/).

## Getting the right person in Market Harborough

We can pass your enquiry to the plumber we used and trust, and they'll tell you straight away if your job needs a Gas Safe engineer. Please say in your message if it involves gas, so it goes to someone registered for that work. We're not paid for recommendations. We just pass you to people we trust.

Message us on WhatsApp: https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/go/plumber

More about [our plumber](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/plumbers/), or see our [emergency plumber page](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/emergency-plumber-market-harborough/) for leaks and bursts.

## Typical prices

| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber hourly rate | £40–£60 per hour | Checkatrade 2026 UK average about £50 per hour; exact price from the plumber's quote |
| Emergency plumber hourly rate | £75–£150 per hour | Checkatrade 2026, plus a call-out fee of around £100 to £120 |

## Frequently asked questions

### Can a plumber fit a boiler?

Only if they are on the Gas Safe Register for that type of work. Many plumbers are, and describe themselves as plumbing and heating engineers. A plumber who is not registered can do the water side, such as pipework and radiators, but the gas connection and commissioning must be done by a Gas Safe engineer, who also notifies building control.

### How do I check someone is Gas Safe registered?

Ask to see their Gas Safe ID card. Check the photo, licence number and expiry date on the front, and the categories of work they are qualified for on the back. Then search the licence number on the Gas Safe Register website or call the free helpline on 0800 408 5500 to confirm.

### Is it illegal to do gas work without being Gas Safe registered?

Anyone carrying out gas work in a home as part of a business must be Gas Safe registered and competent for that work. Working on gas without being registered is a criminal offence and can be very dangerous. HSE strongly advises householders not to attempt gas work themselves.

### Who do I call for a gas leak?

Call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999, free and 24 hours a day. Open windows and doors, avoid light switches, flames and electrical switches, and turn off the gas at the meter if you can do so safely. Once the emergency service has made it safe, a Gas Safe engineer carries out repairs.

### Do I need a gas engineer to move a radiator?

Usually not. Radiators sit on the water side of a central heating system, so moving or replacing one is plumbing work. You only need a Gas Safe engineer if the boiler itself needs to be worked on, for example to drain down and recommission it, or if gas pipework has to be moved.

## Sources

- [HSE: Check an engineer, are they Gas Safe registered?](https://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/gas-safe-register-check.htm)
- [HSE: Gas safety, home owners FAQ](https://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/faqownerocc.htm)
- [Lancaster City Council: Find a Gas Safe engineer factsheet](https://lancaster.gov.uk/assets/attach/12307/Gas-Safety-Factsheet-Find-a-gas-safe-engineer.pdf)
- [APHC: Notifiable work requirements for plumbing and heating contractors](https://aphc.co.uk/news/notifiable-work-requirements-for-plumbing-heating-contractors/)
- [WaterSafe: Verifying qualifications](https://www.watersafe.org.uk/advice/hiring_a_plumber/verifying_qualifications)
- [Checkatrade: Plumber costs 2026](https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/cost-guides/plumber-cost/)